Flying Lessons

Tail Lesson 4

July 20, 2004

Today we stay in the pattern and try, not completely successfully, to beet out of me the bad habit of leveling the ailerons (and wings) just before touchdown. This last minute adjustment cancels out my cross wind correction, resulting in lateral drift just as the airplane is about to set down. I know this. I have read that many students have this habit. Yet I continue to do it. Another skill I need to drill.

Despite my poor cross wind correction, my landings improve. At the end of the lesson George sets me up to do a couple long take of runs on the main wheel as practice for wheel landings. He controls the power so that I only have to think about steering and crosswind. I have to push the wheel forward to bring the tail up (otherwise the airplane will just start flying). We cruise down the runway and I try to keep in the center. I wonder and sometimes try to steer with the ailerons. Ah, another skill I need to drill.

However, one landing went bad enough at the end that George stepped in to initiate a go-around. This is something I've never really had to do so I don't have the habit. I knew that things were going badly, but I didn't think to go around. Here's another skill that I have to go practice. Difficult to practice by ones self. Aurel's instructor requires him to go around on any landing that is not perfect. I should set stricter requirements and initiate go-around more readily. Ah, another skill I need to drill.

I decide that for many skills I will benefit from practice in the Cessnas. Cross wind correction applies to all airplanes. I can go out and get repeated practice by my self, making my time with George more efficient.

Tail Lesson 5

July 22, 2004

I have flown on the past two days and was feeling well practiced and expected to do well during this lesson but again struggled with the basics. I had a moment of thinking that I may not be cut out for this and came away fairly discouraged.

We flew over to Tacoma were I did 5 landings in the pattern then back to BFI for one last landing.

1. Stabilized Descent speed. Hold it at 70-75 right to flair. I tend to push the nose down when I'm high and pull the nose up when I'm low. I'm not as comfortable using throttle in the Maule as I am in the Cessnas but need.
2. Minimal aileron corrections during final. I'm quick to correct for perceived drift and may overcorrect. George teaches minimal correction, seeking by halfs the correct correction for conditions. I experience a lot of wind shifts on final and have trouble believing that I can find one stable correction. George teaches that most of those bobbles will correct themselves. Hmm...
3. Absolute alignment of airplane with direction of motion during flair and touchdown. This is the prime directive and overrides the minimal correction directive. But at this point the airplane is getting so slow that I'm hesitant to use much aileron. Last minute gusts that shove the plane off centerline throw me off and I don't know what to do. If it is minimal I should add a little power and realign. If uncertain I should go around.
4. Hold airplane off runway until stall. Get low and keep it flying until stick is full back and it refuses to fly any further.
5. Full back elevator to stick the tail. Prevents bouncing. I tend to let go, which works fine in a nose wheel. Make all landings with full back elevator and hold nose off.
6. If cross wind, dial in cross wind correction as plane slows.
7. Walk the rudders to keep it going straight.

I got some homework to do.

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